Oct. 3, 2005

Her untimely exit from 'American Idol' made Tamyra Gray a household name. Now the former Miss Atlanta wants to captivate audiences with her acting as well as her singing. The recently engaged entertainer -- she won't say to whom -- gives an impressive performance for her feature film debut in the Sony Screen Gems/Rainforest Pictures film, 'The Gospel,' a role that allows her to showcase both her singing and acting abilities. "It's always nice to be able to showcase what it is you do first, in something that you're trying to venture out into. What I hope, in the long run, is to achieve roles that don't have singing," said Gray, during our conversation at Atlanta's The Ritz-Carlton Buckhead hotel.

In music news, Gray recently parted ways with both 19 Entertainment, the management arm of 'American Idol,' and the company's music division, 19 Records, which released her debut album, 'The Dreamer.' "My new manager Lisa Braude used to be [European pop star] Anastasia's manager," she announced.

The 26-year-old singer said her goal is to sign with a major label this time; however it's unlikely that it will be J Records. Gray was signed to the Clive Davis label, but was dropped after being labeled difficult by executives.

"I did hear that I was difficult," she confessed. "What happened was, basically, the songs that I was given are the same songs that are on Fantasia's album. Can you imagine me singing the 'Baby Mama' song?"

Not at all!

"Right! That's exactly what I said," she continued. "I'm like, you're giving me these types of songs and basically, you're setting me up to fail. That's not believable. It was more of a thing where they were like, 'This works! This is what we've been making records with, with our black artists. We want them to be ghetto. This is what is selling and what we need you to do.' Alicia Keys' style was more of the style I was trying to do, but there was an argument about that."

Gray divulged that she shared her feelings with the label about the direction they wanted to go in. "I was like, 'I will flop.' People will look at me and say, 'That's not her.' If you flop on your first album coming out, on a major [label], and you have the exposure of the number one TV show in the country, then basically people will look at you and say ..." she paused, to refrain from calling names.

I suggested: "Say that you're Justin Guarini?"

"Yeah," she shot back. "Clearly, I was just not trying to say that."

Gray shared that the label also discouraged her from writing her own music. "I was told I couldn't write. I was told, well Whitney [Houston] didn't write and Aretha [Franklin] didn't write, so you don't need to write," she recalled. She would later pen Fantasia's hit single 'I Believe,' but the label was initially unaware that she wrote it. "They didn't know I wrote it in the beginning. It was kept a secret until they said, 'Yes,'" she smiled sheepishly.

Now the experience is just a memory for Gray, who said in closing, "I loved the thought of working with Clive Davis. To me, it was like if anyone was going to get me, he's going to get me."

Now, let's just hope some other executive gets her.

Daddy Duty

Boris Kodjoe was reluctant to star in 'The Gospel.' Shooting for the film overlapped with the last trimester of his wife, actress Nicole Parker Kodjoe's, pregnancy, and Kodjoe feared he would miss the birth of his daughter, Sophie Tei-Naaki Lee.

"They sent me the script, and I didn't read it for a long time," admitted the former 'Soul Food' star. "My wife read the script and was like, 'You've got to do this film.' I was like, 'I'm not going anywhere 'cause you're pregnant.' I wasn't really checking on doing a film because it would have taken me away from her."

But the German-bred former model said his wife was adamant that he shoot the movie in Atlanta, so Kodjoe conceded and signed on.

"My wife kicked me in the butt to do it. But it was a good decision," he added.

As fate would have it, Kodjoe would make it home to Los Angeles in time to help his wife through the 30 hours of labor. "I made it to the birth because she was born on a weekend, which was perfect for production because they only had to shut down one day," Kodjoe smiled. "It was amazing! I don't believe in coincidences. I believe the whole thing was meant to be, meant to happen!"

Kodjoe just completed production on Tyler Perry's 'Madea's Family Reunion' -- "They're really happy with the way it turned out," he confessed -- and said he'd like to shoot an action film and/or a romantic comedy next. In the meantime, catch him alongside Nona Gaye, Clifton Powell, Omar Gooding and Idris Elba, among others, in 'The Gospel' when it opens on Oct. 7.

Wishful Singing

Ray J continues to declare his affection for Oscar winner Halle Berry, even penning an ode to the actress on his new album 'Raydiation.' The song, called 'Blue High Heels,' includes lyrics like, "Baby, the way you sit and the way you stand/ will make an almost-married man think about changing plans/ You got it, sex appeal, said you looking so good in your blue high heels."

The singer/actor -- he also stars on the UPN sitcom 'One On One' -- has been professing his love for Berry since meeting the 'Catwoman' star at the premiere of the film, 'Lackawanna Blues,' last February.

"Halle Berry is my ideal lady," he confessed. "She is a very beautiful and talented woman. I have such a huge crush on her, and she inspired me to write this song about her."

While Ray J's yearning for a date with Berry remains unfulfilled, his other desire -- having a hit record -- has been fulfilled. The singer got his wish last week with current single 'One Wish' which, according to his mom-manager Sonja Norwood, became the biggest single the struggling Matthew Knowles-helmed Sanctuary Urban Records has ever had. It cracked the Top 50 on Billboard's Top 100 Singles Chart.

Can't Say Names

A source at a newly launched magazine said a cover shoot with a cantankerous C-list actress was the most arduous job their staff has ever endured and mainly because of the actress and her publicist's "blatant disrespect for black media." The TV and film actress and her handler made the photographer stop after every shot to review each image, while the actress smirked and reminded, "My publicist only does this for black publications." The source fumed, "It's sad that this black actress would let her white publicist completely disrespect us like that. They would have never done that to Jane, Glamour, Allure or In Style. Those magazines probably wouldn't even cover her, let alone put her on the cover."

Buzzworthy

Apparently the on-screen romance between 'Girlfriends' star Golden Brooks and her television husband, actor Khalil Kain, has spilled over into their personal life. Sources say the couple began dating a few months ago when production on the new season of the UPN sitcom reconvened. Despite arriving arm-in-arm at the BET Comedy Awards and being photographed on the red carpet together, Brooks was mum on the matter when BV Buzz spoke to her. "I don't comment on my personal life," she vowed. The actress, who was also rumored to have dated 'Friends' star David Schwimmer, did confirm that she'll be appearing on an upcoming episode of 'The Montel Williams Show.' "That's something I'll talk about," laughed the actress. "I am flying to New York to tape an appearance on his show."

Destiny's Child member Michelle Williams is preparing for life minus her singing cohorts. The singer will guest star on three episodes of UPN's 'Half & Half' this fall. Williams, whose cover of Al Green's 'Let's Stay Together' is featured on the 'Roll Bounce' soundtrack, is also apparently in the studio working on a solo R&B album. The Gap spokesmodel previously released two gospel CDs -- 2002's 'Heart to Yours' and 2004's 'Do You Know.'

Speaking of Williams, she'll perform for the one-year anniversary of the urban Christian lifestyle publication, Twelve, on Oct. 8 at H2O on the Waterfront in Washington, D.C. Kim Burrell, Kelly Price and newcomer Shei Atkins will also perform at the affair, while singers Dave Hollister, Hezekiah Walker, Natalie Wilson, Byron Cage, Take 6, LaShun Pace and others are scheduled to be in attendance. I pen a column called 'Celebrity Mouthpiece' for Twelve.

Former 'Home Delivery' host and New York City radio personality Egypt host 'Covergirl's Talk Model,' an Internet chat fest about 'America's Next Top Model.' Every Thursday this fall, Egypt and 'Top Model' season two contestant April Wilkner discuss the Wednesday episode, take callers and answer e-mails for one hour beginning at 2 p.m. EST/11 a.m. PT. To participate in the interactive online talk show, visit Egypt and Wilkner at www.UPN.com.

Rapper Nelly is entering the reality television game. The St. Louis lyricist has partnered with A. Smith & Co. Productions to shoot a show that will follow the hip-hopper as he goes about his day-to-day business. "I look forward to showing my fans what my world is about and bringing more attention to my nonprofit organizations," Nelly said in a statement. This won't be Nelly's first foray into reality television. He appeared on 'The Search for Miss Apple Bottom' on VH1 in 2003.